Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. (John 4:35)

Harvest comes early in Northern Maine and Western New Brunswick. In August the potato fields are full of white flowers, indicating an abundant harvest to come. Almost every fall this presents a great challenge. The local ads ask for laborers. Time is of the essence, the harvest plentiful and the laborers few. Jesus is describing a similar idea about evangelism. In another place Jesus states:

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. (Luke 10:2)

It is interesting to note, as Jesus is describing fields white for harvest, where he is located. He is neither in Jerusalem nor his hometown. Jesus is in Samaria. He is speaking of a people long despised by the Jews. Why is Jesus there? John 4:4 states Jesus had to go to Samaria. Humanly speaking Jesus did not, but divinely speaking he had to, for the fields were white for harvest. The harvest was among the despised. So often we can get fixated on our “target audience,” that we do not lift our eyes to see our savior’s call. The fields are white for harvest. The despised, the down trodden, the immigrant, the “enemy” are all in that field. Our unfriendly neighbor, our uncomfortable relative, our friend at work, the one from the wrong side of the tracks could be in that field. The challenge, according to Christ, is never finding the harvest. It is going into the fields. The fields are white for harvest. Will you go?

We are now living in a post-Christian culture. Just a few generations ago, unwed pregnancy, “living together” and disrespect to parents were no-no’s and a homosexual lifestyle was shameful. By and large, Christian values were the morals of the majority. But, no longer. Today, those who accept evil as good and call good evil are our neighbors, and we are living among them. How are we to live in this evil age, in this Babylon?

“This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down…Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you in exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:4-7)As Christians, we are pilgrims who have not yet arrived home to the New Jerusalem. We are people living in Babylon. We may be concerned to know how to personally evangelize our neighbor. Yet it may better serve the cause of Christ—long before we ever say anything— to start by asking: “How am I living in the presence of my neighbor? Do I seek to bless my neighbor? Do I pray for my neighbor?” Do I really love my neighbor as Christ loved me while yet a sinner? Loving and serving my neighbor and seeking the prosperity of my city may be the best groundwork for sharing the gospel. It takes time, effort and sacrifice. Let us pray to the LORD as we love our neighbors paving the way for the gospel seeds to take root in their hearts.

For an amazing example off this kind of living in “Babylon” see Rosaria Butterfield’s books The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert and Openness Unhindered.

I used to pray that God would place someone in my path that I would be able to share the gospel message with. A good friend of mine and I were having that exact discussion one day. He suggested that perhaps I was missing the point of the Great Commission (Mt 28:18-20). As we continued our conversation, it became clear to me that perhaps he was right. I was depending on God to place a persona whom I would feel comfortable sharing my faith based on my self-assessment of my personal comfort and skill level.

God asks us to live our lives for Christ each and every day by our words and deeds. We each answer that call in our own way. Some become evangelists, pastors, and mission field workers. Others answer his call as volunteers in teaching Sunday school classes, elders, deacons, and small group leaders. The majority of Christians seek full time employment and careers in the secular world. We are called to share our faith and become role models for the Christian way of life by our actions and deeds as well as our words and language.

As my friend pointed out illustrating the words from the hymn, “and they will know we are Christians by our love,” God is not asking me to preach or to convince anyone, but to merely live my life in a way which will be a positive influence on others. My career as a management consultant afforded me daily opportunities in my interactions with clients to present the gospel just by my presence. As I taught leadership classes, I began to engage the audience in stories which illustrated God’s grace and mercy. I prayed for the Holy Spirit to give me the courage and strength to be bold as I assisted men and women in developing ways to bring to out the best in their people.

When I look out my front door, I constantly see opportunities to live out the gospel. Someone needs a kind word, a helping hand, encouraging smile or even a hug. I know that I am equipped already to speak those words, lend that helping hand, providing that smile, and gladly give that hug. God made us in his own image so be bold today and look out your front door. You will be blessed for it, I promise.

I was walking in downtown Raleigh with my son one day. As we past the courthouse steps I notice a number of homeless, sick, and poor people on the steps. Like most people, I made sure not to make eye contact. I moved as near to the street as possible to avoid the smell. Then I picked up the pace to make it difficult for anyone to ask me for money. As I got farther down the street I looked back for my son. He was kneeling down talking to some of those people I had just so skillfully avoided. When my son caught up with me, I asked him why he had stopped? He said, “Dad, no human being deserves to be ignored.”In John 4:1-42, Jesus went to Samaria and encountered a woman living in sin. She had come to draw water in the heat of the day. She was an outcast from her own people. She seemed surprised that anyone, much less a Jew, would speak to her. Yet, God in the flesh engaged her in conversation around her daily routine of drawing water from a well. He told her of an “. . . everlasting spring of water welling up to eternal life.” To which she responded, “Sir, give me this water . . ..” The woman believed. She told others. Many in her village said, “. . . this man really is the Savior of the world.” Indeed!When was the last time you went to a place out of your comfort zone, to speak to someone not like you about the saving grace of God, that they might believe in Jesus and be saved? Sadly, for too many of us the honest answer is “never.” Set your heart to tell someone about Jesus today!

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:6-11)

In Acts 1:11 Jesus prepares his disciples to reach the world with the Gospel. He has taught his church for 40 days about the kingdom of God. He expands our vision for a worldwide kingdom that will be completed when he returns. He promises the coming of the Holy Spirit to accomplish this great task. He gave this Great Commission and ascended up into heaven where he is crowned king and his claim to glory validated. These verses are a part of what we commonly call the Great Commission but sadly the Great Commission has become the great omission. Jesus tells us how to regain the vision of the Great Commission.

1. We need the worldwide vision of Jesus (v. 6). The Apostles were concerned about the coming of the Kingdom that would be local and restricted to Israel. Jesus’ vision was for the gospel was to reach every nation of the world. We omit the Great Commission when our vision is too small. The Great Commission is about an enlarged vision for the great throng of people worshipping in Rev. 4:9-10 from every tribe, language and people.

2. We need the eschatological vision of Jesus (v. 7 & 11). The Apostles, like people today were more concerned about date setting and wanted to know when he would return. Jesus does not satisfy inquiring minds but gets us back to the vision of the Second Coming, which is the spread of the gospel. The Kingdom of God is a present reality and will one day be consummated and time will come to an end. We look forward to that glorious day. Until then we are motivated to reach people with the gospel by love for God and lost people.

3. We need a Holy Spirit centered vision of Jesus (v. 8). He promises us power through the Holy Spirit to be his witnesses. While every Christian is not called to be an evangelist like the great D.L. Moody or Billy Graham, we are all called to be witnesses, beginning in our own community and extending to the entire world. Billy Graham may preach the gospel better than many of us, but he does not preach a better gospel.

4. We need the vision of victory (v. 9-11). The ascension of Christ is something we profess in the Apostles Creed but neglect in practice. The crowning of Christ as King in Rev. 4-5 is the affirmation and acknowledgement of Christ’s resurrection from the death.

The Great Commission is my commission and your commission. We are at a crisis point in the world when it has never been darker, or more hopeless morally and spiritually. If we are coming to impact our world it has to be with the gospel. Do you need to expand your vision for the gospel to be as big as Jesus’?

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:15)

My real estate broker friend asked if we could meet his buddy at Denny’s for breakfast on Friday. “He’s a business associate of mine and is struggling with his life and family; maybe you could share the gospel with him.” "Of course! See you then."

Over breakfast, we talked long enough to know he was indeed struggling, but wary of religion. I’m not very confident at sharing my faith and for sure not in such a noisy, public setting – I was as nervous to share as he was to listen. But, God was gracious to open his heart to understand the difference between religion and relationship with a simple gospel message: “Do you know Christ personally?” “No, but I would like to know Him!”

The three of us prayed together as my new brother declared his desire to accept Jesus’ gift of forgiveness and asked Him to take control of his life. I wasn’t sure if he was sincere, or just didn’t want to disappoint – regardless, he had clearly asked the Lord to take charge of his life.

Ten years later, I got an amazing phone call: “Is this the Steve that shared the gospel with me in Denny’s? Yes, I am the guy. “I wanted to find you and tell you God has changed my life -- I have been able to share my testimony in my business circles now for many years – may I send you a copy?"

What better news could I get! My lack of expertise was trumped by availability -- to step out of my comfort zone and trust God for the results. The Lord faithfully returns His Word with joy!

“The Lord opened her (Lydia’s) heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” (Acts 16:14)

In keeping with Luke’s observation that Lydia’s open heart was a work of God, many observe that this and Luke’s other accounts in Acts should rightly be titled “The Acts of the Holy Spirit” rather than “The Acts of the Apostles.” But alongside this wonderful truth of God’s initiating and completing work is His calling work among us to go, speak, disciple, baptize, and teach.

In this 16th chapter of the “Acts of the Holy Spirit,” Dr. Luke suddenly changes from using the pronoun “they” (Paul, Barnabas, Mark, Silas, etc.) to “we”: “immediately we sought to go into Macedonia” (after trying to enter “Asia” and “Bithynia”); “we made a direct voyage to…Philippi;” “we remained in this city some days;” “we went…to the riverside;” “we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.” And then it says, “the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.”

I urge you, like Dr. Luke, to change the stories of the “Acts of the Holy Spirit” in your world from “they” to “we.” Join a Paul, or a Silas, or a Luke in your church, “seek to go,” go immediately and directly, let God direct and redirect you as you go, stay long enough to speak repeatedly where people gather (by the river, in the market, in homes, and even in the synagogue), and watch God open hearts, just as the Lord did by the river in Philippi. God opens hearts when we open our mouths!

What about those who have never heard? The Bible is unyielding in its claim that Christ’s work on the cross is God’s only provision for the salvation of sinners. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Peter preached, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Paul wrote, “there is one mediator between God and men” (I Timothy 2:5).

If there were other ways for sinners to be made right with a holy God, then surely the Father would have allowed Jesus, who prayed, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Mt. 26:39), to circumvent the cross.

But, what about those who have never heard the gospel? Three things may be said in reply.

First, remember that God does not send people to hell for never hearing about Christ. He sends them to hell for their sin, and is just to do so.

Second, if those ignorant of the gospel can be saved, then evangelism has the unintended consequence of sending millions of people to hell, for it has given men a knowledge of the gospel for which they are now culpable.

Third, the desperate need for unbelievers to hear the gospel is why we are to tell others of Jesus. The apostle Paul wrote, “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14).

What about those who have never heard? We are to tell them. Pray that the Lord will give you an opportunity today for a gospel conversation.

“As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:5)

Day by day they sit there, squarely tucked between the front windshield and dashboard of my truck. Every now and then they’re pulled away to load some firewood, hook up a utility trailer, or for some other difficult work. But over the years my old leather work gloves have fulfilled a much grander kingdom purpose in serving as a daily reminder that I am to do the difficult work of evangelism.

This glove idea came to me soon after reading of the life and ministry of Alexander Maclaren; a great Scottish preacher of the 19th Century. History tells us that Maclaren (known as “The Prince of Expositors”) daily wore an old clunky pair of work boots into his study to remind him that his study and sermon preparation was to be a difficult work. He was an excellent expository preacher and evangelist. Maclaren had his work boots. I have a pair of gloves.

It is an understatement to say that evangelism is hard work. More often than not, it’s extremely messy and painful work wading into the complicated lives and jacked up thoughts of broken people. Some may find it easier, or perhaps think it best, to spend their time with spiritually like-minded individuals who live and think like them. But we’re called to more as the body of Christ. We’re called to a gospel partnership with God the Holy Spirit in evangelism as we make disciples of all nations. Besides, is it not unbelievably exciting and rewarding to see men and women come to faith after having gently, patiently, and freely offered the gospel of redemption in Christ to them? And here’s one more quick thought as we consider our hard work in the area of evangelism. Maclaren said, “If you would win the world, melt it, do not hammer it.”

Jesus said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)

Tim Keller writes, “the book of Galatians is dynamite; it is an explosion of joy and freedom.” Why? Because the essence of that brief Pauline letter is about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the best news ever and it is for everyone. It is revolutionary.

Our challenge is: how to get that message out to the people, friends, family members, neighbors. What do I need to make that happen? Let’s think in 4 steps:1. Experience the gospel myself: I need to be gospel-saturated, feeding off the Good News, living in the flow of God’s grace, experiencing the Father-heart of God. Before I can even begin to think about sharing the gospel, it needs to affect all of my being.2. Know how to verbalize the gospel: I need to know the essence of the gospel, to be able to explain it succinctly and precisely. Many tools are available: the Roman Road, Evangelism Explosion, 4 Spiritual Laws, etc. Learn to use at least one. Make it your own.3. Plan to share: think in terms of you being responsible for the neighbors living around you. God has placed you in that spot for a reason that goes beyond convenience, school district zones, property values, family connections, etc. Feel responsible for the spiritual well-being of your neighborhood.4. Pray for opportunities: pray that the Lord of the harvest would provide divine appointments.